Microsoft Dynamics GP (Great Plains) Software

Microsoft Dynamics GP is a financial accounting system designed to meet the requirements of small to midsize businesses. Microsoft Dynamics GP was originally developed by North Dakota-based Great Plains Software and was acquired by Microsoft in 2001.

Microsoft Dynamics GP has applications for financial management, human resources management, manufacturing planning, supply chain management, field service, business intelligence, collaboration, compliance and IT management. There are also a la carte modules which can be purchased separately, along with hundreds of third-party applications from independent software vendors (ISVs), which can be added to the system to fit additional needs.

Dynamics GP leverages Microsoft’s Windows and .NET frameworks. The system can be deployed on-site or hosted for a monthly fee. The company and its partners provide benefits such as online training and support.

I love GP. I have for years. I've been a GP consultant, and have been a user for eight years. Before making the decision to select an accounting package, ask such questions as: What types of financial statements do I want? How detailed do I want them? Do I want to create separate entities or will departments work? GP has a very simplistic, onboard report writer. But if you need the ability to customize your reports, you should consider FRx. I believe FRx may be called something different now. It has a very advanced set of allocation accounts that I highly recommend to anyone that has to allocate expenses.

Pros

t's role tailored software that's easy to implement and useIt looks and feels familiar to software your people use every day: Microsoft Office Excel, Outlook, and WordIt enables fast, relevant access to current and complete information about your business activities and operationsIt goes beyond basic reporting and extends insight across your entire organizationIt seamlessly integrates with your other technology platformsIt permits one to over 1,000 concurrent usersIt's highly customizable with dozens of industry-specific solutionsIt automates and standardizes recurring tasksIt's scalable, versatile and flexible

Cons

With respect to the allocations, once the expense is entered into the allocation account, you lose the ability to run any detail on just the total of the expense. It would be nice if you could run a trial balance on the allocation accounts the same way you can with regular accounts.I've always thought security set up could be a bit simpler. It actually has gotten better through the years. Specifically, with eight separate entities, it would be nice to have a "master" setup where you could call up one group entity, assign the users rights, and then be finished. Currently, whenever I have a new user, I have to call up each individual entity and select all of the features I want the user to have. That means I have to do eight steps for each user.

April 2018

Thanh T. from FrontStream

Company Size: 201-500 employees

Review Source: GetApp

Ease-of-use

4 of 5

Value for money

4 of 5

Customer support

4 of 5

Functionality

4 of 5

April 2018

GP is a functional product, but the user experience is not the best

Pros

The software is relatively easy to use. The biggest advantage of GP is probably it is a Microsoft product, meaning GP works well with other Microsoft products, such as the Office suite.

The learning curve is also not that steep if users are willing to learn through various blogs, videos (especially YouTube), and through Microsoft web site.

The price is very competitive, comparing to leading-edge solution such as Intacct or NetSuite.

Cons

I am a big fan of anything on the Cloud. Our controller spends lots of time to upgrade GP through different version over the years (GP is hosted either on premise or through third-party vendor's server. Of course the upgrade or any troubleshooting is not that bad with the right support from a third vendor. However, this is not value-added function in accounting/finance. If I have a choice nowadays, I will go with Intacct or NetSuite.

With a Cloud solution, users will have very little downtime. With an on-premise solution, at least in our experiences, we have lots of downtimes. Also for some reasons the software requires us to reboot the backend server from time to time due to software bugs.

September 2016

Una from Rypos Inc.,

Ease-of-use

3 of 5

Value for money

3 of 5

Customer support

3.5 of 5

Functionality

4 of 5

September 2016

Solid mid market ERP system

Pros

It is a comprehensive solution, with solid add-ons to compensate for deficits in the core system. We run a manufacturing operation with deep. multi level BOMs and FIFO costing, GP manages it very well. AP, AR and GL are solid.

The smartlists are a nice reporting tool, where you can drop the data into excel for easy analysis.

Cons

The front end has a clunky feel. On the back end trying to find the table the data is stored in takes a lot of time so the learning curve from a reporting sense is very long. The SQL tables are sparse - so you could end up having to add several tables to a query just so you can connect the one table you need. Report writing process is long and arduous initially. It is really expensive to upgrade. Other solutions in past lives have required minimal tech support to upgrade, this is a major process to upgrade and therefore very expensive.

December 2016

Judith from Camex Equipment Sales & Rentals Inc.

Company Size: 51-200 employees

Ease-of-use

3 of 5

Value for money

4 of 5

Customer support

5 of 5

Functionality

3 of 5

December 2016

Microsoft Dynamics GP Manufacturing Rave

I am a true believer in Microsoft GP products. This accounting software, although a bit cumbersome to initially learn, is well worth the education. The ease with which you can navigate from customer related transactions, to back end AR functions, and over to strictly financial entries, is incomparable. Many accounting software systems, although quick and easy, do not give you a clear overview of distribution and coding layout. GP allows you to clearly access what has been recorded, and makes it easy to reverse anything if necessary. The "Smart List" is one of it's finest features. This tool allows you to not only access reports, but to streamline, and create reports that are tailored specifically for your needs. I believe this is one of the best systems out there for processing of manufactured goods, and inventory control. I highly recommend Microsoft Dynamics GP - Manufacturing!

Product does bog down occasionally, if too many people are on it ( usually more a month end kind of issue)Very detailed - makes for slower learning of system **However, in the end is worth the work**

September 2017

Arshad from MS Society of Canada

Company Size: 201-500 employees

Review Source

Ease-of-use

5 of 5

Value for money

3 of 5

Customer support

3 of 5

Functionality

3 of 5

September 2017

Easy to use, convenient to have web access, but lack of features

A decent system to use, but was disappointing due to the lack of flexibility in terms of generating reports/export functions - not as great as I would have expected from a Microsoft product.

Pros

-Web access-Single database-Integration with a variety of reporting suites-A widely use system since it is Microsoft based, and a huge community to get help with if there are any issues

Cons

Not truly web-based as it relies on the program to be housed on a server; -Limited in terms of GL reports - cannot jump ranges of accounts, or have multiple ranges in a single report like our old system-takes a while to load reports like SmartList Favourites, and does not have as much flexibility as our old system-freezes quite a lot-tax limitations on the Accounts Payable module-Desktop version slow

November 2018

Carson from Cudmore Group Inc

Company Size: 51-200 employees

Review Source

Ease-of-use

3 of 5

Value for money

4 of 5

Customer support

1 of 5

Functionality

5 of 5

November 2018

Dynamics GP High end accounting software thats usable

Great product, huge upgrade over SBM, but could be so much better if they streamlined the processes, and made it easier to find help in setting everything up. typical microsoft where user friendliness is a concept they simply dont understand

Pros

Can do most everything you can think of, workflow makes sense, cheque writing and invoice entry features are easy to use, once youve got the report functions figured out, can customize them to your needs for the most part

Cons

way too many keystrokes to perform the entries you need to make, some reports such an income statement are incomplete with no way to create them the way you want, error messages are pretty much useless unless youre an experienced user, even then, they can be difficult to cipher, looking for answers for how to do things is very poor, and because they keep updating/changing the interface without warning, many of the steps shown are out of date, thereby useless

March 2015

Shane from GT LLP

Ease-of-use

3.5 of 5

Customer support

2.5 of 5

Functionality

4 of 5

March 2015

ERP with a familiar MS Office feel

Pros

Microsoft Dynamics GP does a great job of integrating into the other mainstream Microsoft productivity applications many organizations implement, and it offers some great familiarity that helps someone new to the software feel more comfortable with using the application.

Because it is a Microsoft product, there is also healthy mainstream/community support via online forums.

And, of course, logical access is simplified thanks to integration with Microsoft's Active Directory but you may also opt for SQL Server database logical access as well.

Cons

Microsoft Dynamics GP is very light on Customer Relationship Management (CRM) features. Customer accounts and details can be stored in the software for invoicing and other accounting functions, but much is left to be desired. Microsoft instead points you to buying additional software, such as their Dynamics CRM product which integrates nicely with Dynamics GP but adds on additional licensing costs.

November 2018

Jana from Lifeways Inc

Company Size: 201-500 employees

Review Source

Ease-of-use

4 of 5

Value for money

4 of 5

Customer support

4 of 5

Functionality

4 of 5

November 2018

2018 Is Better than the last

Pros

I like the fact that I can sort things easier. For example when I'm looking for a specific invoice I can sort by date document type, number, etc. It makes things much easier. I know there are many things as a company we are not utilizing and would like to be able to.

Cons

I feel like there should be more advanced options when it comes to running such things as Trial Balance. I also wish there was more help with smart list. Maybe some kind of training video in the help module.

April 2016

Tony from Lifetime Products

Ease-of-use

2.5 of 5

Functionality

4.5 of 5

April 2016

Very Powerful Tool that can be Difficult to Use

Pros

Overall, Microsoft Dynamics GP is a powerful and complex accounting and financial management tool. My favorite parts of the software is that the reports are customizable, and there is a lot you can do with them. Another positive is that the forms and records offer a tremendous amount of detail.

An important feature of MS Dynamics GP is the multiple dashboards available, though they can be overwhelming. One of the more useful ones is the Business Analyzer, which gives multiple options of which KPIs and other bits of data are shown and displayed in separate windows. These can be re-sized and moved around on your monitor so that what you need to see can be seen when you need to see it, if that makes sense.

Cons

The main negative is that it can be difficult to use. The processes for doing thing are not intuitive and are unlike other similar systems. The entire user interface feels like something from the early 2000s. Compared to some of the similar products, I believe Dynamics GP would require a bit more training for the general user.

May 2018

Linda from PSCU

Company Size: 501-1,000 employees

Review Source

Ease-of-use

5 of 5

Value for money

4 of 5

Customer support

5 of 5

Functionality

5 of 5

May 2018

Microsoft Dynamics GP

Pros

This system is laid out like a folder on your PC, making it intuitive for most users to learn. The import/export functionality is robust and allowed my organization to seamlessly integrate external website sales into the order processing/accounting module. This was possible because the solution is sequel based.

Cons

In order to share reports, the solution requires SharePoint, and there are times when the system processes slowly.

September 2017

Lee from IC System Inc

Company Size: 501-1,000 employees

Review Source

Ease-of-use

4 of 5

Value for money

5 of 5

Customer support

4 of 5

Functionality

5 of 5

September 2017

Great ERP for Small to MidSize Businesses

Dynamics GP is an ERP that is flexible and dynamic. it provides all the tools a small to midsize business needs.

Pros

Easy and Intuitive UI that leads to quick learning curve for all areas of Accounting. GL, AP, and AR modules are top notch. Integrates with many 3rd party applications for seemless sharing of data to enhance BI needs.

Cons

Lots of windows and a slightly confusing card structure. SmartLists can be cumbersome to create, save, and manage.

December 2017

Summer from Clarkson Chemical Company

Company Size: 2-10 employees

Review Source

Ease-of-use

2 of 5

Value for money

4 of 5

Customer support

5 of 5

Functionality

4 of 5

December 2017

A challenge to learn

Each portal operates under the same method which makes it easier to understand when moving through the many facets.

Pros

It has many functions and levels to operate a multifunctional facility. It includes Financials, Purchasing, Sales, Administrative, and a multitude of reports, inquiries, and lists that can be customized and modified to the users preferences.

Cons

There’s a lot to learn about the functions of this software. It’s difficult to correct errors and delete particular transactions. It can become very expensive depending on user support services and the number of users allowed to be on at the same time. Make sure that this is the right software for the functions of your company Before purchasing. The annual renewal can be quite expensive as well.

February 2017

Elaine from Digital Ally Inc

Company Size: 201-500 employees

Ease-of-use

4 of 5

Value for money

4 of 5

Customer support

5 of 5

Functionality

4 of 5

February 2017

I recommend Microsoft Dynamics GP

I've used this software for 6 years and expect to keep doing so. There is so much support from our Microsoft partner and GPUG.

Pros

I love the smartlists. I also love the adding products available to handle situations like sales taxes.

Cons

There are many different reporting options available to use but are there ever really enough.

The easiness to start even if you've never used a ERP before and tracking things (contracts, clients and other documents) in one place for your clients is a plus.

Cons

Limits in the customization areas. licenses are restricted to full access or read only. Not knowing the amount of data which is stored in entities is also a minus (Especially when you have a lot of data integrations and add-ons).

February 2017

Ron from Montgomery YMCA and Alabama 911 Board

Company Size: 501-1,000 employees

Ease-of-use

3 of 5

Value for money

3 of 5

Customer support

4 of 5

Functionality

5 of 5

February 2017

Great Program

Very good program
Functionality is better than any program I have used

Pros

Extremely easy to use for a variety of situations. Never had any unexpected errors as we did with other programs. Used it for 23 Branches and 15 program areas.The ability to design your on statements with the report writer was great

Cons

PriceyNeeds its own budget program.We had to design one and import/integrate the numbers in which was a headache

August 2018

Michael from Inacio

Company Size: 11-50 employees

Review Source

Ease-of-use

3 of 5

Value for money

1 of 5

Customer support

2 of 5

Functionality

2 of 5

August 2018

Dying product

It is too bad that this product is being left behind as the push becomes for Dynamics 365, which is a completely different product and will require a complete reimplementation (if the features we need are even in there).

Pros

Used to be very easy to use and was cutting edge for several years. Great functionality for distribution.

Cons

Microsoft is no longer developing the product, so it has become very stale. Hardly any new features and no current online resources.

March 2017

Desiree from Charming shark

Company Size: 11-50 employees

Ease-of-use

4 of 5

Customer support

4 of 5

Functionality

4 of 5

March 2017

GP Dynamics

I have been using Great Plains product for over 25 years. It was one of the first companies to offer flexibility for company growth without limitations.

Pros

I love the security , and reports that can be created and exported to excel. Works great with Microsoft office suite since it is Microsoft owned

Our company has been able to implement many customizations for our needs. Once you learn where everything is, there is almost no end to how you can view data. The smart lists are amazing for compiling what you need in particular.

Cons

The interface is not the most user friendly. There can be many clicks before you get to where you need to be.

February 2018

Lauren from appneta

Company Size: 201-500 employees

Review Source

Ease-of-use

3 of 5

Functionality

5 of 5

February 2018

Great software with great reporting functionality

Pros

- ease of use once you know what you're doing- ability to build smart lists, which is super helpful- multi entity functionality

Cons

- no direct integration with tax software- need to pair with reporting software to get accurate financial reporting- need to log out to switch entities

November 2017

Lewis from UNEECO Paper products

Company Size: 51-200 employees

Review Source

Ease-of-use

5 of 5

Value for money

3 of 5

Customer support

2 of 5

Functionality

4 of 5

November 2017

Microsoft Dynamics Solomon Iv

Pros

Has all accounting features,Best for manufacturing/productionAccounts for all raw materials for manufacturing through ease of use in the inventory

Cons

Poor customer supportNo ease of upgradeFrequent error messages after longterm use which freeze or quits the system

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